Davis Duo Gives Coach Double Vision : Identical Twins Once Confused Beauchemin, Now Confound Glendale’s Opponents

Brian Beauchemin has been slightly confused ever since he first met Dwight Davis. Or was it Duayne Davis? Beauchemin still isn’t sure.

He was sitting in the basketball office at Glendale College last year when a young man named Davis walked into the office and announced his intention of joining the Vaquero basketball team.

The idea appealed to Beauchemin, who couldn’t believe his good fortune in acquiring the 6-3 forward from Muir High.

A few weeks later, a familiar figure appeared in Beauchemin’s doorway. That Davis kid, again, Beauchemin thought.

He invited the player in and proceeded to field many of the same questions he thought he had answered the first time they met. OK, Beauchemin reasoned, so maybe this kid isn’t as sharp as I thought.

It wasn’t until the player signed his name to an information sheet before leaving that Beauchemin realized he was the one who would have to sharpen his memory.

Beauchemin had landed both a blessing and a potential headache--the Davis twins.

To this day, Beauchemin still cannot correctly identify which Davis came into his office first. Or if it’s Dwight or Duayne he is directing praise or anger at during games and in practice. But Beauchemin doesn’t care. He’s just happy that the Davis brothers give opposing coaches trouble on the court.

“They’re a coach’s delight,” Beauchemin said. “They agree with everything you do and play out of position in order to win. They’re such great kids, I’ll be screaming at one and they won’t say, ‘You’ve got the wrong one.’ ”

Duayne and Dwight, 18, look identical, but there are ways to tell them apart. Dwight, for example, has a wispy goatee. He also has his name tattooed on his left arm.

During the heat of a game or practice, however, Beauchemin doesn’t have time to look for those clues.

“During the preseason, it was easy because they had different kinds of shoes,” Beauchemin said. “But then we got our team shoes and I couldn’t tell them apart.”

Often, neither can the opposition.

“In some areas it can be helpful that we’re identical twins because teams get all confused,” Dwight said. “But then at halftime of games, coach will be fussing at me when Duayne was the one who made the mistake.”

As identical as they may look, the brothers Davis have different personalities and interests. Duayne wants to pursue a career in computer repair. Dwight is studying for a career in law enforcement.

“Dwight is more serious about life,” Duayne said. “He shows it, too. I like to go out. He likes to go over to his girlfriend’s house.”

Said Dwight: “Duayne sees things a lot different than I do. I could bang someone to the floor during a game and I’ll say, ‘Hey, let me help you up.’ Duayne won’t do that.”

The brothers also play different roles for the Vaqueros (10-13, 4-5 in Western State Conference play), who play host to Moorpark tonight at 7:30.

Duayne, who played three years of basketball in high school, comes off the bench and is used primarily inside where he matches up against players three to four inches taller and 15 to 20 pounds heavier. An ankle injury slowed him earlier in the season, but he he has come back to average 5 points and 4 rebounds a game.

Dwight played only one year of high school basketball because of grade problems. He has since become a model student in the classroom and on the court--especially on defense. A starter who averages 10.5 points and 6 rebounds a game, Dwight is known throughout the conference as a defensive specialist. He draws the best shooters and hounds them relentlessly.

In Glendale’s 70-69 win over Moorpark earlier this season, Dwight applied defensive pressure to Moorpark shooting-guard Tom Neumayr. Moorpark Coach Al Nordquist reckoned Dwight was playing a little too closely and complained to the officials.

“He was playing so hard and so tight, he was taking Tom out of his game,” Nordquist said. “I was complaining to the ref and Dwight just looked at me. I shrugged my shoulders and said, ‘What can I do, I’d like him to call some fouls on you because you’re doing too good of a job.’ ”

Beauchemin is hoping a year of experience will help Duayne and Dwight develop into players who can help lead the Vaqueros to a WSC title next season.

“I think every coach should have the opportunity to coach identical twins,” Beauchemin said. “Believe me, it’s an experience.”